What a Difference Three Days Off Makes

After my last training log, when things were going really well, I had the the achilles setback. However, after some help from the medical staff I have somehow managed to get back into full training after only taking three days off training. I have still taken precautions though, and the work-outs have been a bit easier just to see how the achilles responds to faster paced efforts and in order to not aggravate matters. The weather here is has been all over the place, it seems to be cool and raining one day then really hot the next. First race of the season for most of our varsity team is next weekend at the Charles Bowles invitational over 8k. I can't wait to make my American debut on what it seems is a very fast course. Hopefully, the team and I can produce some good performances for me to talk about next week.

Monday 20th September
9:30AM: 35:00 (5.0mi, 7:00mi). After getting my achilles taped up by the medical staff i tested it out on the roads. It was odd for the first mile or so running with my foot being restricted from flexing but it seemed to do the trick. i didn't have a single pain throughout and was able to complete the morning run at the usual pace.
15:19PM: 81:59 (12mi). Ran in the forest on Lief with Cody, who's ankle was also sore after twisting it on the trails yesterday. Lief is the flatter of the trails on in the forest and despite it being muddy from the rain of the weekend, it was relatively good under foot. Didn't feel a pain until 11mi when I turned it slightly and then when going uphill near the end. But all in all the achilles was good, and its good to be running properly again.

Tuesday 21st September
9:05AM: 34:05 (5mi, 6:49/mi). Getting used to running with the tape now and it is feeling relatively normal. The only problem is when it is too tight across the top of the foot which gives some soreness on top of the ankle. I figure that if I can keep the routine of heat, ice, physio etc. then things can only get better.
15:37PM: 21:24 w/u (3mi), 7 x 1mile (7.38mi), 19:25 c/d (2.63mi). Initially I was going to do a tempo on my own while the team did their 8 by a mile workout at Westmoreland. But, I realised I would probably run too hard so set off with one of the slower groups in the mile repeats and then worked my way up from there. So, on some of the repeats I didn't get the full minute recovery, which was fine as they were at a slower pace than normal. Mile reps were 5:38, 5:27, 5:28, 5:26, 5:07, 4:57, 4:54. Was nice to get back into some race pace stuff at the end of the workout with the boys I would have been with if I was sure of my achilles. Didn't feel any pain throughout which is a good sign that I can run at race pace with the tape and not have any problems.

Wednesday 22nd September
12:10PM: 1:39:23 (15.0mi, 6:38/mi). Had to run solo because of class and went out to where a few of us did a tempo last week and was looking to loop back to campus. But, after 7 and a half miles I realised I wasn't going to find the loop so had to double back and ran slightly longer than I had wanted. Legs were shot towards the end probably due to the fact that my legs were suffering from the increased pace yesterday. It was also hot by the time I ran which didn't help matters on the way back.

Thursday 23rd September
9:30AM: 42:00 (6mi). Morning run on the roads with Lars, who has made a fantasy football team for all four of us football fans on the team.
14:59PM: 75:13 (11mi,6:50/mi). Easy run with the team on the sloo loop which was the loop I was meant to do yesterday. I realised that I had turned the wrong way yesterday and that is why I couldn't find the way back to campus. Rich had taped the foot a little tight so was getting some stiffness on top of the foot which was a bit annoying.

Friday 24th September
9:38AM: 34:43 (5mi, 6:57/mi). Easy solo morning run, was going to do the workout this morning but coach said that a freshman couldn't make practice so could I do the tempo with him in the afternoon. This meant only having a few hours rest in between but I suppose I could do with some company.
13:37PM: 22:30 w/u(3mi), 47:58 (9mi tempo, 5:19/mi), 23:24 c/d(3mi). Mile splits 5:13, 5:28, 5:26, 5:21, 5:23, 5:27, 5:14, 5:16, 5:07. Nice workout, was really hot and Craig Hopkins, Michael Young a freshman, and myself were the only ones doing it as the rest of the team were doing 1k hill repeats. There was no point risking my achilles doing that sort of workout so opted for a flat, road tempo. The route is basically in a cycle lane and goes out 3 miles from coaches house past uni to a pub then turn back, then repeat the first 3 miles again. Started out a little quick, although I think that is due to the first mile being gradually downhill and probably why mile six was one of the slowest. Ran as a group for five miles, when Young tried to push the pace although this lasted for less than a minute before he fell back, he was only doing six miles. Craig had a tie a shoelace at the turn of mile six so also fell back and I tried to push the pace for the last three. It was nice to be in racing flats again and feeling no pain!

Saturday 25th September
9:48AM: 31:26 (4.5mi, 7:00/mi) Tired, and legs felt terrible for the entire run, went a bit later as I realised once I had left the house that I hadn't checked the Ipswich score. So had to go find a computer on campus to go look at the result before I could set off.
16:46PM: 71:28 (10mi) Easy run with housemates to Pier Park, couple of loops, then back to campus. Roasting hot day for this time of year, nice to know that back home its freezing so I wont complain. Legs a million times better than this morning, don't know how as I had been shopping for most of the day.

Sunday 26th September
9:00am: 2:10:00 (18.5mi). Usual Sunday run at the forest, but it had been raining all morning so it was pretty muddy on the trails. The rest of the group call the run 19 miles but I only needed 18 and a half for 120 so ill call it that. Achilles was ok, top of foot a bit sore from my poor attempt at taping it myself.

Total Weekly Mileage: 120mi - Probably a little excessive, but I was just taking each day as it came and things added up. I'm a runner who doesn't like to miss the training that I have planned and after losing some runs last week wasn't going to sacrifice any this week. Anyway, it didn't seem to cause any problems so with an easier week next week, hopefully can then put in the mileage again before the bigger races come.

I found a video of the race from last year which shows it is a mixture of grass and pavement, while also showing some dodgy American pre-race motivational techniques!